Epic Sourcing's 19 April 2026 guide says three forces are lifting Australian import freight costs. Maersk, CMA CGM/ANL, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, ONE, PIL, OOCL and SeaLead have all added Emergency Bunker Surcharges, with MSC at USD 300 per TEU and ANL adding USD 300 to 600 depending on container size. Airspace restrictions near conflict zones are cutting air capacity, and schedule reliability on Asia-Australia lanes remains below historical norms because of transhipment delays at Singapore and other hubs.

It estimates an extra USD 400 to 900 per 40-foot container for goods such as furniture and home décor, and advises importers to audit landed-cost models, book sailings 2 to 4 weeks earlier than usual and build 10 to 15% freight buffers into Q2-Q3 2026 pricing.

Source: Epic Sourcing - Freight costs in Australia 2026